Introduction

My name is Jasmine Korpan, and I am currently enrolled in my third year of the Middle Years Education program at the University of Regina. I am passionate about teaching for social justice, equality, and equity; I am an advocate for inclusion of all students.

I returned to post-secondary education after a five-year break. I was uncertain of what career path was right for me, so I decided to explore my work options in the health region as well as in education. Again, I was left confused. In 2012, I had the opportunity to travel to South East Asia, where I backpacked through eight countries. It was this humbling experience that solidified my interest in teaching. I began working as an educational assistant upon returning to Regina, and my passion continued to grow as I worked with students and inspiring educators. I have also worked at the Autism Resource Centre for four years, where I have gained valuable experience working with exceptional individuals.

Language arts and social studies are my strongest subjects; I value the importance of literacy skills as well as the ability to critically reflect and ask difficult questions regarding society. I want to ensure my students do not learn in the oppressive classroom I was taught in twenty years ago. I hope to boost my confidence in teaching math; math has always been my weakest subject, but I know that with classroom experience, I will be able to approach math with confidence.

I value the importance of providing extra curricular activities to students. In my experience as an educational assistant, I was involved with the student council; we hosted school dances, spirit days, canteens for city finals, as well as Christmas and Easter hamper donation collection and deliveries to community schools. I also worked alongside colleagues and students putting together musicals, Christmas concerts, and Remembrance Day assemblies. Despite my questionable sport abilities, I am always readily available to assist coaches with sports when needed; this includes volunteer coordinating, driving students, score keeping, or officiating!

Looking ahead, my goal is to teach any grade from five to eight; I appreciate the exciting personal changes these students are working through, and I value the strong role teachers play for students at this age. In my experience, I did not feel I had a strong support in school, and I hope to ensure I provide a safe learning environment with positive relationships to bolster both the learning and confidence needed to promote positive choice-making.